Outline of Inequalities S-Wales

Outline of Inequalities S-Wales

“Outline SOME of the ways in which inequalities have been made and re-made in South Wales.”

In 1000 Words

This essay briefly discusses 3 areas from the DVD, which is the only source of information used as evidence herein: Attitude to Women, integration of Immigrants and those who feel left out of the post-coal redevelopment. It must be stated that this “evidence” is subjective – being personal observations, rather than quantitative tested fact; although this does not say that these qualitative views are not an accurate representation.

When coal was the economic driver in South Wales, by convention it appears - by their husband’s decree - women were not allowed to work. In many ways this left women in an inferior position.
Firstly, we hear they were subject to their “master’s” command – “I knew a lot of women whose husband’s would not let them go to work…” (Montague, 2009). In this respect they had little self-determination, with even less power over their financial wellbeing.
Barred from work meant barred from the camaraderie that evolves from working together and thus removed from close support of associates; unlike the males who we hear had many friends: “1200 people [underground] … you knew nearly everybody … everybody helped each other out,” (Montague, 2009). Also, women were barred from social clubs – “Good enough to work behind the bars, but not good enough to sit within the bar” (Williams, 2009), so did not have anywhere to discuss problems or “let off steam,” arguably leaving them more vulnerable to mental pressures regarding looking after the home and feeding children in hard times.
“It was thought of at the time (sic) that men were the bread winners” (Montague, 2009), by inference suggesting male pride was a major issue, that women had less self-respect – that their feelings were less important? We see in the DVD a poster offering “Miners Specials – reduced prices for miners’ families – enquire within,” (Making and...